Paul Kretzmann Commentary - 1 Samuel 19:1 - 19:7

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Paul Kretzmann Commentary - 1 Samuel 19:1 - 19:7


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

Jonathan Proves his Friendship for David. —

v. 1. And Saul spake to Jonathan, his son, and to all his servants that they should kill David;
he openly announced his intention of putting David out of the way, for he could no longer control his deadly hate.

v. 2. But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David,
his great love for his friend was unchanged; and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul, my father, seeketh to kill thee, his loyalty for his friend urged him to warn David, even at the risk of offending his father. Now, therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself;

v. 3. and I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art,
probably a place where Saul often talked over private matters with his son, and I will commune with my father of thee; and what I see, that I will tell thee; he would immediately make known to David just what he would find out from his father, and it was for this reason that he had David hide nearby, lest his going to some distant place after the conversation with his father awaken suspicion of an understanding with David.

v. 4. And Jonathan,
in the interview which he obtained, spake good of David unto Saul, his father, pointing out all his excellent qualities and his fine services to the entire nation, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, for David had always occupied this position with great cheerfulness, against David, because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good; far from doing the king any harm, he had always and in all things done him great service by his feats of arms and by his attendance at court.

v. 5. For he did put his life in his hand,
risking his most precious possession, and slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought a great salvation for all Israel, in delivering the people from the danger threatened by the Philistines; thou sawest it and didst rejoice. Wherefore, then, wilt thou sin against innocent blood to slay David without a cause? It was an urgent, yet modest appeal to whatever nobility was still left in Saul's character; a fine example to all men of how to speak the best of their neighbors.

v. 6. And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan,
he was persuaded by his son's noble intercession. And Saul sware, going to the other extreme, as usual, As the Lord liveth, he shall not be slain.

v. 7. And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things,
giving him the joyful information that he was reinstated in Saul's favor. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, resumed his place at court, as in times past. True love and friendship to our neighbor demands of us that we defend him against all evil suspicions, put the best construction on everything, and calm down the anger of the jealous.